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Gloster Meteor F. Mark I

Only twenty Mk I's were built, sixteen of them serving with RAF. Two of the three prototype Mk I's EE211 & EE212 were delivered to RAE Farnborough for trials and design development, while the first EE210 (First flight 12th January 1944) was delivered to Muroc AFB in exchange for an example of the Bell X59 Airacomet.

Nice study of F.Mk 1 EE212 in flight. This was one of the two allocated to RAE at Farnborough. The
/G (guard at all times) and prototype designation on the fuselage are still carried by DG202 at Cosford today.

616 Squadron took delivery of the next ten EE213 - EE222 and the four aircraft EE224 - EE227. The last two deliveries EE228 & EE229 being attrition replacements for EE224 & EE226 with the latter crashing just two days after delivery. The first took delivery of the Meteors at Culmhead on the 12th July 1944 moving shortly afterwards to Manston in Kent where they handed in the last of their Spitfire Mk IX's and started operations against the V1 flying bombs. They would later take the Meteor into Europe although they were prohibited from flying over enemy lines because of the secrecy of the materials used in the engines.

Well published photo of EE210 at Muroc AFB

At RAE Farnborough EE211 was fitted with a pair of Powerjets W2/700's and long cord engine nacelles which improved its high speed performance while at Rolls Royce EE223 in addition to being the first Mk 1 to have a pressure cabin for high altitude flight was also fitted with the more powerful W2B/37 Derwent I's. The most interesting developmental Mk I was EE227, on its retirement by 616 Squadron in favour of the Meteor Mk III it became the world's first turboprop, powered by a pair of Rolls Royce Trent's.

The only Meteor F Mk II was the prototype based on DG207, also designated the G.41B it was powered by two DH Halford H.1 engines but did not enter production because its H1 engines (later known as the Goblin) were instead allocated to DH Vampire production following greater success with the W2/B Welland & Derwent designs after Rolls Royce became involved in engine production.

	Gloster Meteor F Mk I Span: Length: Powerplant: Maximum speed: Rate of Climb: Range: Armament:	43ft 41ft 3in. 2 x 1,700lb Rolls Royce Welland I Turbojets 415mph at 30,000ft 3,300ft/min 510 miles 4 x 20mm Hispano cannon